Archaeological Museum of Naples

• PHOTOS

The Archeological Museum of Naples, founded in the 18th century by the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV in order to house the astounding collection of ancient statuary he procured mainly from the Roman Farnese family, is one of the richest and most important archeological collections in the world. Its vast number of Greek- and Roman-era statues, paintings and mosaics make this museum a must for understanding the ancient history of the area, especially the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. During the course of this walk, the docent, an archeologist or classical historian, will unfold for you the varying layers of meaning - social, political, and artistic - of the museum and its extensive collection.

We will spend the beginning of the walk on the lower floors, becoming familiar with the exquisite collection of ancient statuary, such as the Farnese Hercules and the Flavian-era Agrippina, in the entrance way. A large part of this collection stems from Pope Paul III, a Farnese family member, who

The Archeological Museum of Naples, founded in the 18th century by the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV in order to house the astounding collection of ancient statuary he procured mainly from the Roman Farnese family, is one of the richest and most important archeological collections in the world. Its vast number of Greek- and Roman-era statues, paintings and mosaics make this museum a must for understanding the ancient history of the area, especially the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. During the course of this walk, the docent, an archeologist or classical historian, will unfold for you the varying layers of meaning - social, political, and artistic - of the museum and its extensive collection.

We will spend the beginning of the walk on the lower floors, becoming familiar with the exquisite collection of ancient statuary, such as the Farnese Hercules and the Flavian-era Agrippina, in the entrance way. A large part of this collection stems from Pope Paul III, a Farnese family member, who borrowed liberally from the ancient sites of Rome. During this time, we also might contemplate some of the many Egyptian objects, such as the tazza Farnese, an intricately-painted dish dating from the Ptolemaic period.

This museum is massive and we definitely will not cover the entire collection, but our docent will skillfully weave through sculpture, mosaic, fresco and minor arts to create a comprehensive view of ancient Italian civilizations.